DAILY NOTES FROM WANGANUI.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 694, 20 December 1909, Page 7

DAILY NOTES FROM WANGANUI.

/ -WHITE CHILDREN; AND MAORIS. : ...'.v. A FURTHER REYELATIOX. ' , : (By. Telegraph.— Spccial' Correspondent.! : Wanganui, December 19. ' Work._on the Parapara Road goes on vert slowly, in spite of the GovernincntV professed annety- for the backblocks.' '■ "At the present rate, says the "Herald," "it ivill bo 20 years before the road is through to Raetihi, thoughthere aro now settlers right along its proposed length. Some of these scttkrs have no access to - their; sections, except by bush track, and, . unless matters, arc hurried up, tyush tracks a.re all they are likely to have'for a. long time to wm«. As instancing the .makeshift methods of the Roaus Department, one settler states that he could havo driven a. dray into his' 6ection, 3a miles from Wanganui, six. months ago, -it' only two or three .small bridges and a few dulverts had been put in. As it is ho is still waiting for ' the bridges and onlverts to be built, and .has. no idea when the piecemeal job ivill bo finished." . Tho; "Herald" also remarks', thatthe .notion of building the road in bits,'with : unfinished gaps soaUerra throughout its length, is one would probably occur to no. one but'the present Minister for Public Works. .'•■ ■ V The following 'letter has been- sent to the Attorney-General by.: Messrs. A. Hatrick and Louis' Cohen, on behalf of themselves and other citizens .who moved'-.in recent cases of whito cET.dren . abandoned to Maoris:—"Wangaiiui; December: : 17, 1909.—H0n. Dr. lilndlay, Attor-ney-General, .'Wellington: : Dear sir,—Wo. 'are | pleased to see by.the report of the.proceedings, of the Legislative Council that, you aro. about -to make it: impossible for..European parents to abandon their children- to Native people. In addition-to tho-four littlo children, brothers, rcscued last 'week from.an unfortunate fate, thero aro, to our knowledge, two other littlo boys under six years, at 1 Pipiriki., 'At Eiruharama (Jerusalem) there is a most distressingcase of a girl under, eight years of- age, who. has lived with Maoris since < babyhood. " She oan.only speak the Maori language:--.. What is ,to be the. fate'of this girl? In. a very few. years- she ( will have, reached the age of maturity,' aiid -what her lot in' life., will, bo then' is not difficult, to (Sonceive.' .May.wo implore, you to have these children resoued at once? There are,-of course, others in the district'.' ''We'ate informed, on good' authority, that thero aro some's2.in all on .this, coast,- but. not. on the river. . We; think that, there, are only, scim' six on. tho river, now thit tho four little brothers, aged nine, seven, four, and throe years, have boon rescued. .. We understand-that it was formerly illegal a-Native to adopt or accept in gift a white child. Parliament in its .wisdom; however,,wo believe, repealed tho 'statute. The difficulty in . enforcing . this, ; statute has arisen, • through various '. conceptions. ■ of' the words 'means of aro happy state that the magistrate hero shares our view of their, meaning, l 'and", we' realise .that you havo not-hesitated to.forcibly'express yourself, as being' shocked at tho condition of matters that ilio case, under review .has, revealed. We tyust that this session will not;be too short to, prevent so. urgent a matter, from receiving attention, and'urge you to enforoo without'delay some legal process that will enable all other European children now living under similar dis-. .trcssing conditions to. ; be removed' from a. life that is so i unsuitable, to their development. As they aro possible good citizens of this Dominion,: 'wo feel' that tho'' question involved, is- a national one. Wo do not desire to be understood- as reflecting upon the' Native race. Their kindness and goodness, of heart . are constantly, displayed towards children of all' races. -We, : however, aro not awaro that these good qualities have ever, been ■ productive of .beneficial results in. the rearing of Enroi>can children.: —'Wo are, yours respectfully - for, ourselves and other citizens, (signed),'' A.' Hatrick, - Louis ■ Cohen.". ': -■ . i" .